Detective George is sitting at his desk with a cup of strong, black coffee, gazing out of the window watching the boats sail down the Thames, (its 1850, June, summer's here and people love to sail then) when a ragged, tired looking man rushes in.
"Hello" welcomes George confidently, "How may I help you ?".
The man paces the room like a caged animal. Anxious.
"Please, please help me ! Please." his words are rushed, as if he wants to get them out before he changes his mind.
" Okay, sit down and calm yourself. Lets start by you telling me your name."
He sits slowly, always keeping his gaze to the floor.
"My name is James." he said in a urgent but quiet whisper, he rushes on.
"My daughter has been killed and the only people that could have done it are the people in my house."
A shocked silence fills the room.
George looks at the man closely for the first time, he is about 5ft 9, skinny, too skinny and has dark circles under his eyes, as if he hasn't slept in a week. His clothes are sagging off of him like they are 3 sizes too big. He is shaking, intensely . He stares in to this mans deep blue eyes and feels a great urge to help him.
"Right start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know."
James looks at him with tears glistening in his eyes.
" Thank you." he sweeps his greasy, blonde hair out of his eyes, takes a deep breath and starts.
"It was a bright and humid morning, Victoria was still in bed, my wife was setting up the dining table with my brother Albert ." he pauses, sweat dripping off of his forehead , " I overheard them talking, Albert was saying that I disgusted him. "
George frowns to himself "Why? Why is he disgusted by you ?"
" I had an affair. My wife isn't Victoria's mother ."
" And Victoria is the one who has unfortunately passed away, correct ?"
A lone tear escaped his pained eyes , " Yes. Any way, Vic's mother passed away while she was giving birth to Vic and I welcomed my darling girl into my home. I have 1 older child, Mary, who is now 14, her and Vic clicked instantly they went every where together, my wife pretends she's forgiven me but I know she hasn't and Albert, well he doesn't hide the fact that he doesn't like Victoria, It's heart-breaking to see. He thinks that because I already have a family why should I welcome a child from a family who was well... poor. You see I have more money than I need and Albert thinks I should leave most of it to him,, he'll get some but Vic, Mary and my wife will get most of it ."
"Okay then James, why don't you tell me about the day when Victoria died."
" Oh yes, like I said I overheard them talking, I ignored them and went to get Victoria and Mary. We ate breakfast in a awkward silence ,as always , then I went to work," George cut him off, ignoring the fact that it was rude,
"What time ?"
Half an hour passes. All the time George keeps his eyes on James, watching him, as he explains the tragic story.
George recalls the tragedy to himself.
At 8:00am James left the house, then at 3:30pm gets a cold call from Albert telling him that Victoria had gone missing.
He dashed home and when he arrived, the place was deadly silent .
He called for the family and finds them in the lounge. Mary is sobbing but his wife and Albert are just staring into space.
They hunted for Victoria for hours, meanwhile James's wife called the police, three days passed and there's no such luck. James never gave up and then suddenly a man ran into his house and tells him that they've found her but shockingly she was dead. A doctor explains that she was buried alive after being brutally hit over the head.
Now he has come to George for help and he is desperate.
George looks up
"Show me to your house"
George is standing in front of James's family, looking at them closely in turn.
Then he turns abruptly and walks out of the door into the gloomy, mysterious forest that stretches out as far as eye can see.
He walks and walks in till he's standing above a shallow grave where Victoria was buried only 24 hours ago.
He stands there for a bit just thinking . Thinking of every case he has ever done.
Thinking of Albert, a greedy ,selfish man.
Thinking of Mary, the supposedly sweet, charming little girl who loved her sister very much.
Thinking of James's wife, who will never fully trust James again.
He looks around him and something shiny catches his eye hidden under a shabby bush , he bends slowly and picks it up.
A badge? This could be a major clue.
This could solve the whole murder.
Suddenly CRACK! A stick broke just behind him, he swings round and sees Mary.
She's just stood there, slumped, observing him.
"Hello, Mary how may I help you ?"
"That's Albert's badge." she replies bluntly.
"Really?."
"Yes. He didn't like Victoria. He wanted all the money but Daddy loves Victoria more than us so she'll get it all." she's talking in a hushed whisper but in a tone that sounds matter of fact. All of a sudden she bends and picks up a flat stone and starts getting louder.
"Daddy loved her better than me but I was here first, I was his favourite until victoria came." She sneers her name, eyes blazing and glazed over.
All of a sudden it dawns on George. She was the killer!
He takes a step back and Mary smirks.
"Now you know, I have to get rid of you." and like lighting she lunged forward and wacked the stone right in George's face, he bends in pain, shouting as loud as he can, but Mary just laughs a evil laugh and whispers in his ear.
" I chose this place because no one can here you or that cow Victoria."
She rose the rock up high and crashed it down with an almighty thud on top of Georges head.
As he collapses to the floor Mary starts to laugh hysterically.
She casually drops the rock, turns and walks away
